Three days after her arrival on the Island the new Chief Executive Officer of the Bermuda Hospitals Board is already on the job.

Jamaican Stephanie Reid arrived in Bermuda on Saturday and after two days of orientation on Sunday and Monday she assumed her position yesterday.

Chairman of the BHB Raymonde Dill introduced Mrs. Reid to the media at a press conference and noted her experience.

"Mrs. Reid was the CEO for the Cornwall Regional Hospitals in Montego Bay Jamaica,'' he said, "the largest facility being a 450-bed site that provided general and mental health care to a local population in excess of 400,000.

"Her responsibilities in the Region included the management of two other hospitals, with 160 beds combined.'' Mr. Dill pointed out that Mrs. Reid is on a three-year contract during which time she must train Bermudians to fill her post.

"One of her main responsibilities over this period will be to champion our succession plan,'' Mr. Dill said.

Mrs. Reid later revealed to The Royal Gazette her personal view on the importance of setting up such a plan.

"This is very important to me,'' she said. "In Jamaica and other developing countries there is a tendency to overlook training of locals and therefore they are not utilised in positions that are strategic to enhancing development.'' Clearly concerned with health issues for the entire Caribbean region, Mrs.

Reid plans to pursue her PhD in Health & Policy Management during her three years at the BHB.

"After that I will be looking seriously at the level of consultancies needed in the West Indies and Latin America,'' she said.

Expressing a keen interest in health reform and research, Mrs. Reid stressed the importance of developing health care systems that can change and grow to meet the needs of patients and accommodate advances in technology.

"A health system cannot be static,'' she noted. "People are now more knowledgeable about health care and they expect more so we must grow and be able to facilitate our clients.'' Asked her view on the local facilities, Mrs. Reid noted: "My initial opinion is that you have a health facility that has promise for the future of delivering good health care service here in Bermuda. The potentials are here and the potentials are great.'' Despite it being her first day on the job, Mrs. Reid was able to single out continuing home care for the elderly as a promising programme at the hospital.

"Continuing home care is of great appeal,'' she said. "It is a challenge and it is one thing that I think can work in this country.'' In Bermuda without her two teenaged daughters, Mrs. Reid explained that both of her children opted to remain in Jamaica because of their hectic schedules.

"My 18 year old is very busy. She is the first vice president of the Jamaica District Key Club, which is the youth branch of the Kiwanis Club,'' Mrs. Reid said. "She is a prefect at St. Andrews school for Girls in Kingston, is a member of the Jamaica National Mass Choir, and is currently preparing for her A-levels in maths, physics, chemistry and the general paper.

"My 15 year old is at Montego Bay High School for Girls and is getting ready for her Caribbean Council exams. She will visit in the summer and decide if she likes it here and then we will discuss any further plans.'' Mrs. Reid's work permit was delayed by an Immigration policy which prevents single parents from being recruited. Her case was deferred to Labour and Home Affairs Minister Paula Cox who granted permission.